Elongated earth leveler



May 24, 1955 Filed Nov. l5 1951 F. A. CONY'ERS ETAL ELONGATED EARTH LEVELER 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTE RN EYE May 24 1955 F. A. coNYERs ETAL 2,708,799

ELONGATED EARTH LEVELER Filed Nov. l5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS fr/ese f5. wyefzs l/e/ M yonyets ATTE! RN EYE United States Patent O 2,708,799 ELoNGATEn EAnrH nEvELER Forrest Conyers and Vet M.'Conyers, Wenatchee, -Wash. v

This invention relates to scrapers and earth leveling devices particularly used in grading, filling ditches and cleaning fence rows, and in particular an elongated vertically disposed plate havinga horizontally disposed rider shoe on the lower end, a grader blade extended downwardly from the forward edge of the rider shoe and having rearwardly extending control levers and rider planks mounted on reinforcing elements of the plate, and in which the device is drawn with two tractors, one being spaced from each end.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for extending the length of a scraper blade whereby comparatively wide areas may be scraped with a single op eration.

With the conventional type of scraper or grader the comparatively short blades require numerous trips in carrying the soil forwardly and also from side to side and even with continuous working of the soil over an area it is difficult to obtain an upper surface that is continuously level, With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a method of forming and operating an earth leveler where comparatively wide areas are worked over in a single operation and whereby soil is readily transported and distributed to level off uneven surfaces in the said areas.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forming a blade of a scraper whereby the length of the blade may be extended substantially indefinitely and whereby a common blade may be drawn by a plurality of tractors or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated earth leveling blade in which the blade is formed so that it is only necessary to tilt the blade forwardly the loading and rearwardly for distributing earth over a surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide an elongated earth leveling device, adapted to be drawn by a plurality of tractors, which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies an elongated comparatively wide blade having a continuous reinforcing angle positioned on the rear surface and spaced from the lower end, with spaced vertically disposed brackets or stiffeners also mounted on the rear surface, a continuous plate extended rearwardly from the lower edge providing a rider shoe, with a continuous grader blade extended forwardly and downwardly from the forward edge of the shoe, with control levers extended rearwardly from the stifferners or brackets and with a rider plank pivotally mounted between a pair of the stiffeners or brackets and extended rearwardly from the blade.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the earth leveling scraper showing the control levers and rider plank extended from the rear thereof.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the scraper.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the scraper.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the scraper taken on line 4 4 of Fig. l and with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a similar section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

F Figure 6 is also a similar section taken on line 6 6 of ig. l.

Figurej 7 is a detail on a still further enlarged scale showing the lower forward edge of the scraper and taken on line 7 7 of Fig. l. 1-

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved earth leveling device of this invention includes a vertically disposed plate 10, a rider shoe or base 11 positioned on the lower edge of theplate-ll, a grader blade 12 positioned on the forward edge of the shoe 11 and secured against the forward surface of the plate 10 by bolts 13, control levers 14 and 15 bolted to stiifening brackets 16 and 17, respectively, on the back of the plate 1i), a rider plank 18 pivotally mounted between the brackets 16 and 17 by a bolt 19 and spaced stiffening plates 2) also positioned on the back of the plate 10 and connecting the ice 2 plates 10 and 11.

The vertically positioned plate 10 is reinforced continuously with an angle iron 21 the edges of which are secured to the plate, preferably by welding and, as illustrated in Fig. 7 a rider shoe 11 is also secured to the lower edge of the plate 10 and to the lower edges of the stiifeners 16, 17 and 20, also by welding.

The plate 10 s also provided with angles 22 and 23 that provide connections for chains 24 and 25, respectively and the angles 22 are provided spaced openings 26 that are positioned to register with similarly spaced openings 27 in the plate 10 whereby the elevation of bolts 28 connecting the ends of the chain to the scraper is adinstable.

The control levers 14 and 15 are removably attached to the braces 16 and 17 by bolts 29 whereby the levers may be removed for shipping and storing. The rider plank 18 is also removable, the bolt 19 being readily removed from the brackets.

As illustrated in Fig. 7 the bolt 13 extends through an inclined opening 30 and the plate 10 and the back of the plate is reinforced with lugs 31 against which the nuts 32, on the threaded ends of the bolts are positioned.

The brackets 16 and 17 may also be provided with spaced openings 33 which are positioned to engage the bolts 29 so that the elevation of the control levers is also adjustable.

The grader blade 12 is provided with a sharp lower edge 34 and when it is desired to load the leveler the operator lifts upwardly on the control levers 14 and 15 whereby the scraping edge digs into the soil and when the scraper is loaded the control levers are drawn downwardly whereby the device travels on the rider shoe 11, permitting the dirt to work off of the blade 12 and spread out below over the area.

This machine is drawn by tractors, with one spaced from each end as indicated by the positions of the chains 24 and 25 and with one tractor spaced ahead of the other the machine can be used in the same manner as a grader and also for filling ditches, ravines and the like. With the tractors attached from the ends of the blades the machine is adapted for use along fence rows and may be worked into corners of fields and the like.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In an earth leveler, the combination which comprises 3 an elongated vertically disposed plate having a horizontally positioned rider shoe carried by the lower edge and extended forwardly and rearwardly from said plate, spaced vertically disposed reinforcing plates positioned between the rear surface of the vertically disposed plate and upper surface of the shoe, a scraper blade positioned against the leading surface of the vertically disposed plate and leading edge of the rider shoe, angular-1y disposed bolts extended through the scraper blade and plate for removably mounting said scraper blade on the leveler.

angularly disposed lugs on the rear of the plate about the bolts for reinforcing the plate, nuts on the bolts in engagement with said lugs to retain the scraper blade' in xed relation to the plate, a continuous reinforcing member positioned on the back of the vertically disposed plates and positioned intermediate of the height thereof, control levers extended rearwardly from said vertically disposed plates, bolts removably mounting said control levers on the reinforcing plate, a rider panel extended rearwardly from the vertically disposed plates, a bolt extended through the reinforcing plates positioned on the sides of said rider plank removably attaching the rider plank to the leveler intermediate of said control levers, said vertically disposed plate having vertically spaced openings therein spaced inwardly from the end providing means for attaching chains to the leveler, and reinforcing angles positioned on the back of the vertically disposed plates and located to receive the ends of said chains.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 278,296 Waldo May 22, 1883 356,557 Sell Jan. 25, 1887 567,318 Lucas Sept. 8, 1896 1,219,375 Chan Mar. 13, 1917 1,343,097 Spreyer June 8, 1920 1,698,809 Angell Jan. 15, 1929 1,744,139 Patton Jan. 2l, 1930 1,753,022 Robbins Apr. l, 1930 1,793,968 Silva Feb. 24, 1931 

